George Kourpias
American labor union leader
About George Kourpias
Lived 1932 – 2019 (aged 86–87).
George J. Kourpias (June 10, 1932 – December 2, 2019) was an American labor union leader.
Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Kourpias began working at the Zenith Corporation in 1952, and joined the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). He soon became active on his local central labor council and the Iowa AFL-CIO, then became president of his district of the union. In 1964, he began working full-time for the international union as an administrative assistant, rising to become executive assistant to the president in 1979, and then general vice president in 1983.
In 1989, Kourpias was elected as president of the IAM. As leader of the union, Kourpias led a strike at Eastern Air Lines, and negotiated a potential merger with the United Auto Workers. He also served as chair of the international department of the AFL-CIO, in which role he supported the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
He retired from his union posts in 1997, then in 2001 became the founding president of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped George Kourpias's
Frequently asked questions
Who was George Kourpias?
American labor union leader
When was George Kourpias born?
George Kourpias was born in 1932.
When did George Kourpias die?
George Kourpias died in 2019.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). George Kourpias. https://biography.guide/george-kourpias/
MLA: "George Kourpias." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/george-kourpias/.
Chicago: "George Kourpias." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/george-kourpias/.
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